LSAT Explanation PT 40, S1, Q1: Considering that Mark Twain is Samuel

LSAT Question Stem

Which one of the following, if true, would most effectively resolve the apparent paradox above? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Paradox question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is C. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

The question type for this problem is Paradox, and our task is to resolve the apparent paradox presented in the passage.

To summarize the passage, it states that it's surprising that very few people know Samuel Clemens was a writer, even though almost everybody knows that Mark Twain was one, considering that Mark Twain is actually Samuel Clemens. To make this more relatable, let's use a simple example: imagine if a famous singer had a stage name, and everyone knew their songs under that stage name, but very few people knew that the singer's real name was also associated with those same songs.

Now, let's analyze each answer choice:

a) Most people probably have not read anything by Samuel Clemens.

This answer choice doesn't resolve the paradox because it doesn't explain why people know Mark Twain as a writer but not Samuel Clemens. It actually makes the discrepancy more confusing, so this is not the correct answer.

b) Everyone who knows that Samuel Clemens was a writer also knows that Mark Twain was one.

This answer choice only tells us that those who know about Samuel Clemens also know about Mark Twain, but it doesn't address why so few people know about Samuel Clemens in the first place. So, this answer choice doesn't resolve the paradox.

c) Most people do not know that Mark Twain is Samuel Clemens.

This answer choice resolves the paradox because it explains why people know Mark Twain as a writer but not Samuel Clemens. If most people don't know that Mark Twain is Samuel Clemens, they wouldn't associate Samuel Clemens with being a writer. This is the correct answer.

d) Many people believe apparently conflicting things about authors.

This answer choice is too general to resolve the specific paradox presented in the passage. It doesn't explain why most people don't know anything at all about Samuel Clemens. So, this answer choice doesn't resolve the paradox.

e) Some people know that "Mark Twain" is a pseudonym for Samuel Clemens.

This answer choice doesn't resolve the paradox because it only tells us that some people know the connection between the two names. It doesn't explain why the majority of people don't know that Samuel Clemens was a writer. So, this answer choice doesn't resolve the paradox.

In conclusion, the correct answer choice is (c) Most people do not know that Mark Twain is Samuel Clemens, as it resolves the paradox by explaining why people know Mark Twain as a writer but not Samuel Clemens.